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Maningning’s Legacy of Art & Poetry

Maningning Miclat was a true creative force who is an inspiration to young artists today.

Written by

Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

Maningning Miclat at age 28 was already an accomplished artist and published poet in both China and the Philippines. She had exhibited a grand abstract work at the Cultural Center of The Philippines. Being fluent in three languages, she translated her poems in Mandarin to English, Filipino and vice versa. Apart from this she was a generous soul, wanting to give young artists the same opportunities that had been granted her. She went on to teach in Far Eastern University.

So it was an immensely painful tragedy when the world lost her creative genius. She took her own life, 18 years ago, September 29, 2000. Soon after, her mother, Alma Cruz Miclat along with their closest friends and supporters put up the Maningning Miclat Art Foundation Incorporated (MMAFI). One of its main missions is to search for and support young artists through competition.

The foundation organizes the Maningning Miclat Visual Art Awards, a competition held every 2 years specifically for artists 28 years old or younger. Since 2004, the competition has been synonymous with discovering budding artists who have progressed to fruitful careers.

For this year’s edition, held at the Nicanor Reyes Hall of Far Eastern University is a special homecoming of sorts. MMAFI President Alma Cruz Miclat explains, “It has been very difficult for me to imagine coming to FEU specifically here at the Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts. For 17 years I could not even pass by Nicanor Reyes Avenue without crying. It was from the 7th floor of this building that my beautiful daughter Maningning fell to her death September 29, 2000. She was an art teacher here. I am coming to terms with my anguish, fear and anxiety all related to this place. Entering the campus was a test of will and courage. Last year during Nick Joaquin’s centenary I felt as if he bade me come. And so I did. As contributor, not often though in the arts and books section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, I wrote about the Nick Joaquin event and my experience coming here.”

Alma took note of a description of Nick Joaquin’s work as inspiration, “I quoted Vicente Rafael in his introduction to Nick’s THE WOMAN WITH TWO NAVELS and TALES OF THE TROPICAL GOTHIC, made available world wide through a single Penguin Classics release. It says, ‘We whoever we are receive his stories told from a ruined world, hearing and perhaps sharing them as the shards of our own lives’. I did pick up the shards of my own ruined life and set forth to share them. Facing my pain and grief head on resulted in this partnership between the MANINGNING FOUNDATION, the artist playground DISTRICT GALLERYand the FEU President’s Committee On Culture; Headed by the great gentleman here Mr. Martin Lopez who arranged this beautiful activity.”

Alma talked about how her daughter felt for the esteemed educational institution she taught and worked for, “After all Maningning did love teaching here. Telling me how her students were so gifted. ’Nay ang gagaling ng mga kamay nila’. She was also in awe of the campus, this leading art museum, buildings done in art deco style. And she happily told me once that she was being asked to curate for a few exhibits here at the exhibit hall. That was 18 years ago. Now I feel it in my heart Maningning had a hand in bringing us all together here to put an end to the painful past and move on more vigorously in helping young artists have a place in this world.“

As director of FEU President’s Committee on Culture, Martin Lopez was instrumental in the successful and memorable homecoming of the Maningning Miclat Visual Art Awards exhibit and ceremony held last September 26, 2018.

Maningning’s mural sized work was exhibited at the Cultural Center of the Philippines

Lopez said the event coincided with the 90th anniversary of Far Eastern University. But also noted many other celebrations, “We had a ceremony in this very space to mark the 100th anniversary of Nick Joaquin our National Artist for Literature, whose work and exhibit is on the 5th floor of this building. With the reopening of the auditorium after two and a half years of waiting (sister) Banaue was one of the first artists to inaugurate the newly reopened auditorium when we closed our Nick Joaquin Centennial year. We are all here to celebrate Maningning, we are here to celebrate art and music and her gift of art and poetry. We are very, very fortunate to participate and to partner with the MANINGNING MICLAT ART FOUNDATION in this endeavor and hopefully we have many more partnerships in the future.“

Prior to GINUGUNITA KITA performance art of Maningning Miclat’s poems set to music by Jesse Lucas, was the awarding ceremony of the Maningning Miclat Visual Art Awards. The newly renovated FEU Auditorium was the perfect venue for the glittering night last September 26, 2018.

Grand Prize winner Jessica Lopez in front of her work Motion of Life, the trophy was sculpted by Julie Lluch. The Maningning Miclat Visual Art Awards 2018 was held September 26, 2018 at the FEU Auditorium. Photo by Jude Bautista

Jessica Lopez of Pangasinan State University was awarded the Grand Prize for MOTION OF LIFE. She is the first female winner, perhaps the only one to highlight and use waste material (bangus fishbone) in her work.

Top four artists were further recognized from among 18 semifinalists (including Lopez). They are John Nikko Pelaez (.U.E.) – BEG, Harddy DC Santos (.U.E.) – COVER UP and Wendi T. Patoc (EARIST) – HINDI NA MAIBABALIK PA. Both Nikko Pelaez and Harddy Santos are from the University of the East. These three artists, as part of the top four, were given Honorable Mention awards.

Hundreds of entries were sent online and were whittled down to 18 semifinalists. Being chosen to be part of the 18 is prestigious by itself as they were able to display their work at the Nicanor Reyes Hall in FEU from September 3-26, 2018.

National Artist for Music Ramon Santos; FEU Auditorium, September 26, 2018. Photo by Jude Bautista

from left: FEU Pres. Committee On Culture Dir. Martin Lopez with Top Four finalists- Harddy Santos, Jessica Lopez, John Nikko Pelaez, Wendi Patoc and Juror Dexter Sy during the awarding ceremonies of the Maningning Miclat Visual Art Awards 2018. It was held September 26, 2018 at the FEU Auditorium. Photo by Jude Bautista

from left: Jesse Lucas, Banaue-Miclat Janssen and Renato Lucas the stars of GINUGUNITA KITA a performance art of Maningning Miclat’s Poems and the Music of Jesse Lucas with performances by Al Gatmaitan, Angela Castro and Nasser Lubay. It was held on Sept 26, 2018 at the FEU Auditorium, Far Eastern University, Sampaloc, Manila. Photo by Jude Bautista